Furnace.



H. A. POPFFNHUSEN.`

FuRNAcE.. APPLICATI-ON FILED DEC-6. |916.

Patented Oct. 23,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. A. POPPEIJHUSENLA 'FURNACE y APPLICATION FILED Dic. 6. 1'9xs.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WM). QM.

NM. mv%,rl,. llll l --.Lr

*UNITED TATESE FAI-ENT HERMAN A. POPPENI-IUSEN, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GREEN ENGINEER- ING COMPANY, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. as, i917.

Application filed December 6, 1916. Serial No. 135,465.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. PorrnN- nUsnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have. invented new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in furnaces, and more particularly to a novel construction for furnaces used in connection with steam boilers of the commercial type.

The features of the invention pertain especially to an improved adaptation of forced or mechanically produced draft and means whereby the combustion of the fuel can be more accurately controlled and the performance and eiliciency of the furnace thereby improved.

-ln the practical operation of furnaces for commercial purposes the economical and eiiicient results depend largely upon the character of the fuel bed and upon the amount of air that is forced through the fuel bed to promote combustion. It has become a well recognized fact'that under supposedly uniform conditions of fuel and air supply to the grate the uniform and proper conditions of combustion will not take place throughout the entire fuel or grate surface; indeed, the reverse is often experienced, for instance, the draft may vary throughout different portions of the grate area, or the decreased thickness of the fuel bed throughout a portion thereof may result in a hole being formed and the escape of the air therethrough, thus depriving other portions of the grate area of an adequate supply of air to promote combustion. It follows, therefore, that it is desirable to provide a furnace construction whereby the performance of comparatively small portions of the grate surface can be controlled independently of other portions, and it is the object of the present invention, therefore, to accomplish this end, by providing, first, aseries of separate air spaces or compartments beneath the grate, such compartments being substantially separate from and independent of each other, and, secondly, a nouvel arrangement of ducts or air'passages, likewise separate, serif'ing to conduct the air into the corresponding compartments,together with suitable dampers, for regulating the supply of air to each compartment.

.The construction employed for accomplishing the purposes hereinbeforelset forth will now be described in detail and in connectlon vwith the accompanying drawings,

. Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section through a furnace, and taken online 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a view'of the furnace in transverse section, and taken on line 2 2 ofI Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view-in plan section, taken on line 8 3 of Fig. 1, and showing the arrangement of draft ducts and dampers.

` As a preferable embodiment of the invention, a boiler of the water tube type is illustrated, the furnace thereof embracing the endless or traveling chain type of grate and other features of the so-called mechanical the supply to each duct being controlled or regulated by means of dampers.

Referring to the drawings, the portions of the furnace illustrated comprise, in general, the side walls 10, 10, of the brick construction `common to furnace settings; a front wall 12; a coking breast 13, extending rearwardlyand over the forward end of the fire boX or combustion chamber, said front wall and coking breast supporting the front header and forward end of the lower bank of boiler tubes 11i. Rearwardly of the front wall 12, and extending upwardly from the floor of the furnace setting, is a bridge wall 15. Within the re box and extending forwardly from the bridge wall 15, beyond the front wall 12, is the grate 16, the'same having the form of an endless chain, as before mentioned, formed of a multitude yof connected links, the portion of the upper horizontal 'grate extending rearwardly from the front wall forming .the active or fuel bedV supporting area of the grate.

The chain grate is supported and operated in the following manner: At the sides of the grate and in contact with the side walls 10, 10 are a plurality of vertical side frame members or plates 17, 17, provided along their upper margins with inwardly extending .flanges 18, 18,l said plates being set within and forming the walls of recesses formed in the brick side walls 10, 10 below the surface of the grate. The flanges 18, 18 are preferably supported by means of vertically arranged webs or knee braces 19, 19 integral with the plates and top flanges. Provided at suitable intervals along the upper margins of said plates and integral with the flanges 19 thereof, are journal bearings 20, 20, in which are rotatably supported the end journals of a plurality of parallel and transversely extending rollers 21, which pass beneath the upper lead or portion of the i chain grate and support the same. AThe rear ends of the side frame members 17, 17 terminate short of the .bridge wall 15, there being provided at the rear ends of the side frame members 17, two bearing plates or extensions 22, 22, connected by means of bolts .to said side `frame members. The bearing plates are provided with bearings 23, 23, in which are journaled the ends of a sprocket shaft 24, carrying a plurality of sprocket wheels 25, 25, having toothed engagement with the chain grate.

At the forward end of the furnace are provided side plates 26, 26, forming exten sions of the side frame members 17, projecting beyond the front wall 12 of the furnace and exterior of theiire box, there being journaled in said plates a shaft 27, likewise carrying a series of sprocket wheels 23 meshing with and carrying the forward end of the chain grate. Suitable driving mechanism. (not shown) serves to rotate the shaft 27, thereby actuating the chain grate to carry the fuel rearwardly upon theupper surface of the grate. Immediately above the forward end of the grate 16 is the fuel hopper 29, formed yby vertical extensions 30, 30, integral with the side plates 26,26, and an inclined rear wall 31, said hopper communicating at its bottom with the lire box through an elongated opening 32, capable of regulation, as to size, by means of a vertically movable gate 33 and suitable actuating devices (not shown). The fuel is introduced or fed from the hopper onto the forward end of the grate and is carried rearwardly on the moving grate until it reaches the rear end, in the form of ash, where it drops by gravity into the ash pit or other receptacle.

Referring now more in detail to the construction and arrangement of the interi-or of the furnace for the purpose of directing the draft: ln general, it may be said that the space below the upper chain or lead of the grate is divided into a plurality of chambers or compartments 34, 35, and 36, the formation of said compartments resulting from the following structure. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the side frame or wall members 17 consist of a plurality of sections or similar units, of equal length and illustrated as three in number, arranged in corresponding pairs on opposite sides of each compartment. Each side frame member 17 is provided at its ends with inwardly extending vertical flanges 37, 37, arranged at right angles, the flanges at adjacent ends of the sections being spaced apart a short distance so as to provide, between adjacent sections, a space extending the full height thereof. Extending transversely of the side frame members 17 are a plurality of trans verse frame members 38, the same consisting of l-beam sections having transverse webs 39 and 40 along the upper and lower margins of the central vertical web. The transverse frame members are so positioned and ofsuch width as to extend verticallyv from the supporting rollers 21 downwardly in close proximity to the upper surface .of the lower chain or lead. of thek grate. The ends of the transverse frame members extend into the spaces between the flanges 37 of the several side frame members (the webs V39 and 40 being removed throughout the portions of thek girders extending between said flanges 37 and are connected to the side frame members by means of bolts 41, the flanges 37 being preferably provided with inwardly extending portions intermediate the upper and lower leads of the grate 16 and adjacent the transverse frame members 38, as shown in F ig. 2.

The transverse frame members 38, together withv the vertical flanges 37 kof the side frame members 17, constitute the vertical partition or dividing walls of the several compartments 34, 35, and 36, said partition walls extending horizontally between the upper and lower leads of the chain grate and vertically downward between the side margins of the grate and the inner surface of the lire box, formed by the side frame members 17. A plurality of vertical partition walls 42, in the form of plates, are mounted inwardly from the side wall sections 17 and adjacent the lateral margins of the grate, said plates extending downwardly in contact with the floor of the furnace. rlhese plates are arranged in pairs, each pair extending between the flanges 37, 37 of each compartment and preferably secured thereto by means of bolts extending through marginal flanges 43 of the plates 42. By virtue of this construction, thereiare formed at either side of the grate a plurality of pairs of vertical passages 44, 45, and 46, said passages being arranged in pairs, associated and communicating with the spaces between the upper and lower leads of the grate of each corresponding compartment 34, 35, and 36.

Extending between the transverse frame members 38 and intermediate the upper and lower leads of the grate 16, are partition walls or baille plates 47, comprising inverted V.-shaped plates extending longitudinally of each compartment. These partition walls are rigidly connected to the transverse frame members in a suitable manner, and are so positioned that the apex of each terminates immediately below the under surface and midway between the lateral margins ofthe upper lead of the grate, and slopes downwardly and outwardly at angles of substantially 30o to the horizontal, the lateral edges terminating in contact with the vertical walls 42 and at a distance belowy the upper margins thereof. Each partition wall 47 forms the bottom of its respective compartment, and, by reason of its position and contour, serves to divide each .compartment into two upwardly inclined passages communicating with the vertical passages of each compartment, so that each passage supplies yair to substantially one-half the grate arca of each compartment.

Mounted within the space beneath the lower lead of the grate are a plurality of transverse rollers 48, serving to support the lower portion of the grate, said rollers being preferably mounted in journal bearings 49, 49, preferably formed integral with supporting plates 50 extending transversely of the space below the grate and in the plane of the transverse frame members, the ends of said bearing plates being secured between the flanges 37, 37 of adjacent side frame members 17, 17, in the same manner as are the transverse frame members.

The means employed to deliver air to the several compartments will now be described. Below the floor level of the furnace is provided a space extending through the length of the grate and forwardly a short distance beyond the front wall of the furnace, and transversely a distance equal to the distance between the side frame members 17, 17, said space being preferably separated from the space immediately below the grate by meansof a ioor plate 51 of metal or other suitable construction. The space is further divided into longitudinally extending ducts or air passages, formed and arrangedv in the following manner: From the forward end of the furnace, at a point immediately below the outermost transverse frame member, extend a series of vertical walls, arranged in corresponding pairs, the outermost pair 52, 52 (Figs. 2 and 3) being spaced inwardly from the sidewalls of the space, av distance slightly greater than the width of the vertical passages, said walls forming with the side walls of the space two longitudinal passages 53, 53. Located inwardly from the walls 52, 52 are provided `another pair of partition walls 54, 54, spaced inwardly from the walls`52, 52, there being formed between said walls 52, 52 and 54, 54 two passages 55, 55, having substantially the same crosssectional are-a as the passages 53, 53. Intermediate the innermost walls 54, 54 there is formed a single duct or passage 56, having a cross-sectional area substantially -twice that of the ducts 53 and 55.

The outer pair of ducts 53, 53 extend only throughout the length of the first or forward compartment 34, the inner end thereof being closed by means of curved end portions 57 57, which terminate at right angles to the longitudinal portions of the walls and in abutting relation with the side walls of the space below the floor. The ducts 53, 53 communicate with the lower ends of the rvertical passages 44, 44 associated with the compartment 34 by openings 58, 58, extending throughout the length of the compartment and located in the plane of the floor plate 51.

In like manner, the inner pair of ducts 55, 55 communicate with the vertical passages 45, 45 of the middle compartment 35, the walls 54,. 54 thereof extending rearwardly beyond the walls 52, 52 and terminating in curved end portions 59, 59, which close the end of the duct, in the manner vbefore described. These ducts 55, 55 communicate with the lower ends of the. vertical passages through openings 60, 60 at the lower ends thereof and similar in all respects to the openings `58, hereinbefore described. rllhe central or larger duct 56, formed between the walls 54, 54, communicates with a rectangular space below` the rearinost compartment 36, said space in turn communicating with the vertical passages 46, 46 of said compartment in the same manner as do the ducts 53 yand 55, heretofore described, namely, by openings`61 similar to the openings 58 and 60 at the lower ends of said vertical passages.

The outer or forward ends'of the ducts 53, 55, and 56 communicate with a space or cross passage 62 extending transverselyv of said chiots and adapted to supply air to all of said ducts from a single source of supply, preferably in the form of a fan or blower 63, mounted in a chamber 64 (Fig. 3) and driven by a motor 65 or other prime mover located in said chamber. Air is supplied to the fan chamber through an opening or grating 66 (Fig. 1) located in the floor in front of the furnace.

As a means for controlling the air supply to the several chiots, there are mounted at the entrance thereof and adjacent the common cross duct 62 a plurality of dampers 67, 67; 68, 68, and 69, the dampers 67, 67 and 68, 68 `being mounted in the corresponding pairs oflike ducts 53, and 55, 55, and the damper 69 mountedl in the single central duct56. Inasmuch as all of the dampers are similarly mounted and operated,the description of one will suffice for all. Considering the damper G9r of the central duct 56, .the saine consists of a rectangular plate hinged at its lower edge upon the bottom vof the duct and adapted when in closed position to occupy a vertical position. Pivotally connected to the damper is a rod 70, extending forwardly through the wall separating the cross duct 62 from the fan chamber Geland terminating adj acentthe forward wall thereof, there being mounted upon said wall a bracket 71, which supports a vertical shaft 7:2, erovided at its lower end with a crank 73 connected to said rod. The upper end of the shaft projects through the floor plate 51 covering the fan chamber, and is provided with a square head, adapted to receive a wrench or other tool for the purpose of rotat-ing the shaft, thereby moving the rod endwise in either direction to open or close the damper. ln order that the damper may be held in a desired position, the upper end of the `shaft is provided with a disk 7a having plurality of circumferentially arranged holes adapted to register with a hole in the iioor plate 51. A pin, insertible through one of the holes in the disk and the hole in the floor plate, serves to lock the shaft in position of rotative adjustment. Each of the dampers is provided with a similar operating` and adjustment device, so that said dampers can be operated and the amount of draft through the several ducts regulated, independently of each other.

Having described the structure of the furnace, the mode of controlling the supply of air thereto will now be set forth. `The air is drawn into the fanchamber 64 and forced into the cross duct 62, -by means of the fan or blower, and thence into the several longitudinal ducts 53, 55, and 56 communicating with the sectional air passages at either side of each compartment. Passing upwardly through the vertical passages, the air enters each compartment from opposite sides and into contactwith the area of the grate above each compartment, the inclined walls of the baille plates 47 serving to divide the grate area into halves, so that by increasing the strengthl of the draft on one side of the grate, the effect would practically be confined to the corresponding one-half of the grate area. rhus it is to be observed that the grate area is not only divided by the area of the compartments, but that each compartment is further subdivided into two parts substantially independent of each other, with the result that the entire active grate area is divided into comparatively small unit areas, each area being controlled, as regards the condition of the draft, quite independently of each other by the presence of the dampers in the ducts. Thus, if the fireman, 4upon examination of the fuel bed, should discover a portion that is not burning properly, this condition can be corrected by making the necessary regulation of the damper supplying` air to that yparticular portion of the grate.

The utility of this form of draft control is largely due to economical and improved construction of the forced draft ducts, namely, by providing a space below the floor of the furnace and by the use' of artition walls to form a series `of independentducts supplied from a common source, but designed to conduct the air to separate compartments or sections of the grate surface. The formation of the ducts is exceedingly inexpensive, inasmuch as it requires .only the provision of sutlicient space below the floor level and adds but little expense and labor in. the construction of the furnace setting. Furthermore, the ducts and the fan are entirely below the level of the furnace, hence no greater floor space is required for the instal? lation of the boiler.

rlhe features of the invention are obviously applicable to all types of furnaces and, further, the results accomplished by' struc tures varying in detail fromv that herein illustrated and described, and for this rea# son it. is not desired to limit the scope of the invention, except in so far as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

1. 1n a furnace, the combination of a grate, a partition wall spaced belowsaid grate and inclined downwardly from the central portion thereof, its edge terminating short of t-he adjacent wall of the furnace, and a wall extending vertically from the edge of said inclined wall and spaced inwardly from said furnace wall and forming therewith a closed passage communicating with the space between the grate and said inclined wall.y

2; ln a furnace, the combination of a grate, a partitionwall beneath said grate, comprising inclined portions sloping out* wardly and downwardly in opposite directions from the central portion of the grate to the margins thereof, and downwardly extending vertical portions spaced inwardly from the adjacent walls of the furnace and forming vertical passages therebetween communicating with the space between lsaid grate and said partition wall.

3.111 a furnace, the combination of a grate, a compartment below said grate, provided with abottom wall arranged in inverted-V form, the outer edges thereof ter minating below the opposite margins of the grate, vertical walls extending downwardly from the edges of said bottom wall and spaced inwardly from the side walls of the furnace and forming passages therebetween located on either side of said compartment and communicating at their upper ends therewith.

4. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a partition wall of inverted-V form extending transversely beneath the grate and between the margins thereof, and comprising inclined portions sloping downwardly and outwardly from the central portion of the grate, and vertical walls extending downwardly from the margins of said partition wall at either side of the grate, andl in spaced relation to the side walls of the furnace.

5. in a furnace, the combination of a grate, a plurality of compartments below said grate, a deiiecting plate extending transversely beneath said grate and forming the bottom wall of each compartment, each plate comprising inclined portions sloping downwardly from the central portion of each compartment and terminating short of the side walls of the furnace, and vertical partition walls extending downwardly from the margins of each deflecting plate and spaced inwardly from said side walls of the furnace and forming passages at either side of the grate communicating with each of said compartments.

G. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a series of transverse frame members beneath said grate, a partition wall spaced below said grate and extending between each of said transverse frame members and forming a plurality of compartments, and vertical partition walls extending between said frame members and spaced inwardly from the side walls of the furnace to form pairs of vertical passages communicating with each compartment.

7. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a plurality of compartments below the grate, each comprising a partition wall extending beneath the grate and forming the bottom wall thereof and terminating adjacent the edges of said grate, pairs of vertical plates spaced inwardly from the side walls of the furnace and extending downwardly from the edges of each partition wall, to form vertical passages communicating with said compartments, and a plurality of air ducts communicating with said vertical passages.

8. In a furnace, the combination of a grate, a plurality of transverse frame members extending beneath the grate, a partition wall extending longitudinally below said grate and inclined downwardly and outwardly from the central portion of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for grate and terminating below the edges thereof, said transverse frame members and partition wall forming a plurality of compartments beneath the grate, a plurality of vertical walls extending downwardly from the outer edges of said partition wall between said frame members and spaced inwardly 'from the side walls of the furnace to form therewith vertical passages communicating with said compartments, a plurality of air ducts located below the floor level of the furnace, each communicating with one of said vertical passages, and means for supplying air under pressure to said ducts.

9. ln a furnace, the combination of an endless chain grate, a partition wall extending between the leads of said grate and comprising inclined portions sloping from the central portion of the grate and terminating adjacent the edges of the lower lead of said grate, and vertical portions extendino' downwardly between the grate and the side walls of the furnace and forming vertical passagesl communicating with the space between said inclined portions of the partition wall and the upper lead of the grate.

10. ln a furnace, the combination of an endless chain grate, a plurality of transverse frame members extending between the leads of said grate, a partition wall extending between said transverse frame members and forming a plurality of compartments beneath the grate, said partition wall comprising inclined portions sloping outwardly and downwardly from the central portion of' each compartment, terminating adjacent to the edges of the lower lead of said grate, and vertical .partition walls extending downwardly at either side of said lower lead and spaced inwardly from the side walls of the furnace and forming vertical passages communicating with each compartment, and a plurality of air ducts located below the floor level of the furnace, each duct communicating with the lower end of one of said vertical passages.

lin testimony that l claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of December, A. D. 1916.

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. POOLE, CLARA L. PnoPLEs.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

